Lawn Seeding or Reseeding a Lawn Yourself

Lawn seeding or reseeding is when the owner decides to completely start a lawn from scratch with new grass. If you have a new house and need to start a yard, lawn seeding is cheaper than laying sod for new grass. However, if you have an existing lawn why would you completely reseed a lawn? Lawn seeding is often done on an existing lawn if the lawn has largely died, been overrun with weeds, has the type of grass or is otherwise beyond repair. In these situations it may be less work to completely seed a over the lawn than to try to nurse the failed lawn back to health. Lawn seeding can be done on a whole lawn or just part of a lawn, although the work required is about the same for most jobs. So if you have about a weekend's worth of time and need to seed a lawn, here is what you need to do.

Things You Will Need

Grass seedsTillerSpade or sod cutterRakeWater sprayerCompost or top soilFertilizerpH testing kitLime or sulfur to adjust pH

Step 1

The first step before any lawn seeding project is to make sure to buy the right grass seeds for your lawn. Deciding on the right grass seeds for a new lawn is just a matter of figuring out the grass for your climate and type of lawn you want. You should get a mixture of seeds that is predominately perennial for a long lasting lawn with a small percentage (less than 20%) of annual grasses. Annual grass seeds tend to germinate faster than perennial seeds and help a starter lawn take root faster.

Step 2

Pick a good time to start your lawn seeding project. The ground has to be at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit before most grass seeds will germinate. You also do not want to start this project just before a dry spell as water is critical for a new lawn.

Step 3

Remove all old plants or growths from the lawn area as well any rocks. It is critical to get rid of the old plants and plant roots so that the new grasses do not have any competition. This can be done manually with a spade to pull out the plants or a sod cutter to just remove the top layer of soil and plants. A roto-tiller can also be used. In any case, it is critical to collect all of the vegetation after you have ripped it from the ground.

Step 4

Treat your lawn to make it ready for the new grass seeds. Add at least a one inch layer of topsoil or compost on top of your lawn. This is the bed on which your new grass will grow. Now is the best time to add fertilizers and fix any acidity problems with the soil. Once you have added the additional nutrients to the new soil to your satisfaction, till it again to mix all of the topsoil evenly. You may want to also rake out the soil and flatten it with roller if your lawn has uneven spots.

Step 5

Seed the lawn with your grass seed mixture. Lawn seeding can be done by hand or by a spreader. Make sure to overseed in areas more liable to wear such as children's play areas or spots susceptible to erosion. The final step in lawn seeding is to make sure that seeds do not clump in some areas and that they cover all areas. This is done by raking over the seeds with gentle strokes with the back of the rake.

Step 6

Make sure the lawn gets plenty of water. A newly seeded lawn requires 2-3 waterings a day for the first week. After the grasses have started to sprout, the lawn should be watered at least once a day for the next few weeks as the first sprouts are only from the annual grass seeds. If possible use rainwater to water the lawn. Rainwater has more nutrients for grass than plain tap water.
With a good weekend's worth of work of lawn seeding, you can create a lawn that will be the envy of the neighborhood. In addition, if you choose a resilient grass seed mixture you can also cut down on the maintenance required for your lawn.